How To: Foods To Avoid During Pregnancy

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• There is no scientific evidence behind the myth that peanuts cause allergies and asthma in an unborn child. Unless you or our partner are allergic to peanuts, they are fine to eat during pregnancy.
• Dairy: Avoid cheeses which are mould-ripened such as Camembert and Brie as these carry a high risk of containing a bacteria called listeria which is potentially very harmful to an unborn child. Soft blue-veined cheeses, too, should be avoided. Hard cheeses are all okay to eat, even those that are not made with pasteurised milk. Soft cheeses that have been made with pasteurised milk, such as mozzarella or paneer, are fine. Only drink and use pasteurised or UHT milk during pregnancy.
• Meat: Avoid eating any raw or under-cooked meats during pregnancy, as there is a potentially high risk of contracting food poisoning from these. All pates should be avoided, including vegetable pates, as they can contain listeria. Avoid liver also as it contains high amounts of vitamin A which can be very harmful to a baby in the womb - you should also avoid taking multivitamin supplements which contain vitamin A for this reason. Cold cured meats such as salami, if made in the UK, are okay to eat. If you are outside of the UK, check the food safety guidelines of that country before eating any cold cured meats, or simply avoid them altogether.
• Fish and Shellfish: Avoid fish such as shark, swordfish etc as these contain high levels of mercury, which is harmful to the development of your baby's nervous system. Tuna carried similar risks but you can still safely eat up to four tins of tuna or two tuna steaks a week. Avoid eating any raw shellfish, such as oysters, as they can carry viruses and bacteria very easily passed on to your baby. Sushi is okay to eat if it has been made in the UK, as food safety regulations here mean that it will be free from harmful bacteria. Again, when outside of the UK, be cautious of eating raw fish. Smoked salmon is fine.
• Drinks: Be careful of the amount of caffeine you ingest each day. You should only have a maximum of 200mg in one day - or two cups of filter coffee. Be aware that caffeine can be found in chocolate, cold and flu remedies and some teas which you may assume are caffeine free, such as green tea or Earl Grey.
• If you are ever unsure about whether or not something is okay to eat or drink, you can ask your midwife or GP for advice.